Driving Progress: Maharashtra's ₹4,029 Crore Freight Corridor

The Maharashtra Cabinet has approved the development of a 105-km dedicated freight corridor connecting the upcoming Vadhavan Port in Palghar to the Mumbai–Nagpur Samruddhi Mahamarg at Bharveer in Nashik. The project aims to significantly enhance connectivity and logistics efficiency for western Maharashtra’s emerging trade and industrial hubs.

To be executed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), the corridor is estimated to cost ₹4,029 crore. It will be funded through a ₹1,500 crore loan from HUDCO and a ₹2,529 crore allocation from the state government. The project is slated for completion within three years.

The under-construction Vadhavan Port, being developed as a major transshipment hub, is expected to serve as a key gateway for international maritime trade. Currently, vehicles from the Samruddhi Expressway face an 82-km detour to access the port. The new corridor will reduce the Tawa Bharveer–Vadodara–Mumbai Expressway route from 183.48 km to just 104.9 km, cutting travel time from 4–5 hours to approximately 1–1.5 hours.

Traversing Palghar and Nashik districts, the corridor will directly benefit industries, agriculture, IT parks, and agro-industrial clusters by lowering transport costs and improving access to regional and export markets. Officials noted that the project will also generate employment, strengthen last-mile connectivity, and accommodate the future high-volume freight traffic anticipated from Vadhavan Port operations.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.